Robot 6

Internet explodes over Superman renouncing America

It was quite the week for DC Comics, as John Constantine’s returned to the DCU proper, a new Justice League International series was announced at the end of Generation Lost and an “Earth-shaking twist” happened to Doomsday. But it was a short story in the back of Action Comics #900 that really set the Internet on fire this week. Spoiler haters beware …

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Action Comics #900

In a nine-page story called “The Incident” by writer David Goyer and artist Miguel Sepulveda, Superman meets with Gabriel Wright, the fictitious national security advisor to the president of the United States. In a “ripped from the headlines” story, Superman visited Tehran, Iran to show solidarity with the citizens demonstrating against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s regime. Wright’s upset that Superman caused an international incident, to which Superman replies that he’s renouncing his citizenship.

“….I intend to speak before the United Nations tomorrow and inform them that I am renouncing my U.S. citizenship,” Superman says. “I’m tired of having my actions construed as instruments of U.S. policy. ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’ — it’s not enough anymore. The world’s too small. Too connected.”

He later adds, “I”m an alien, Mr. Wright. Born on another world. I can’t help but see the bigger picture.”

Whether or not Superman will actually follow through, though, is another matter. The New York Post has a statement from DC’s co-publishers, Dan Didio and Jim Lee:

“Superman is a visitor from a distant planet who has long embraced American values. As a character and an icon, he embodies the best of the American Way,” the statement said. “In a short story in ACTION COMICS 900, Superman announces his intention to put a global focus on his never ending battle, but he remains, as always, committed to his adopted home and his roots as a Kansas farm boy from Smallville.”

The Post says the story isn’t expected to have any repercussions on future Superman stories, but that hasn’t kept people from talking about it.

Fox News also picked up on the story. Writing for their website, Cal Thomas said the story “sounds as if it was written by an acolyte of the Obama administration”:

The occasional big (for comic book readers) word and a left-wing plot are what make me think someone has hijacked Superman. Perhaps Lex Luthor has found another piece of kryptonite, that rock from the planet Krypton that is the only thing that can weaken Superman. If not Luthor, then maybe someone who was educated by one of those leftover hippies from the 60s who now teaches at an Ivy League university, or at Berkeley.

The real Superman would never abandon America. Even though he was an illegal alien, he has done enough good to “earn” his citizenship. This story is new age pap.

Now, this is a poorly thought-out little story for a number of reasons. Since when, for instance, has anybody thought Superman was an agent of U.S. policy, rather than a private citizen, especially since he just spent a year living off-planet and commanding a New Kryptonian army? How is an entirely nonviolent demonstration of solidarity an “act of war”? Why was this story staged as a conversation with flashbacks, rather than showing us the more dramatic thing Superman tells us he’s going to do tomorrow? Is this supposed to be the endgame of the still-ongoing “Grounded” arc that J. Michael Straczynski started writing and then largely abandoned–in which Superman decides to walk across America to get back in touch with his roots–or is it unrelated? Is this even a story that’s going to get followed up on, given that Goyer doesn’t seem to be writing any other comics any time soon? And, if it is, what kind of decent story can possibly come of Superman deciding he’s “thinking too small”?

But Superman renouncing his citizenship is a little more complicated than you or I doing so. At one point, he was an honorary citizen of every country in the world–which would seem to alleviate a lot of his justification for doing so now–but that may have been pre-Crisis, so its current canonicity is open to question. More than that though, what effect, if any, does Superman’s renunciation have on Clark Kent’s citizenship? Now we start to run into some of the problems of maintaining a dual and/or secret identity. We’ve talked about this at some length here and here. Kent is just a regular guy as far as anybody can tell. Not only does it seem a bit hypocritical to renounce citizenship with the persona that isn’t actually tied to a permanent address while maintaining one’s mundane existence, but flipping back and forth between the two could be problematic, not only logistically, but in a kind of “now you see it, now you don’t” kind of thing with legal rights, duties, and privileges.

And Comic Should Be Good’s Brian Cronin points to a post he wrote a couple of years ago where he delved into the history of “Truth, Justice and the American Way” — the “American Way” wasn’t initially part of the equation.

So what happens next? Will this just be a blip on the radar, or should DC Comics jump on the zeitgeist of it all and have Superman follow through? What do you think?

103 Comments

Marc C

I think this is just a bad, ham fisted story that is trying too hard to be relevant.

If Goyer has trouble separating being American from agreeing with every aspect of US policy, then that is something he could explore for himself. Superman should not be limited to such a foolish and needlessly simplified view point.

There are neo-conservative blow hards who will take any excuse to sound off on how liberals hate America and freedom, but what they have to say on this matter is irrelevant.

This isn’t offensive to me as an Ameican citizen, but rather as someone who enjoys good stories with well written characters.

Any writer can have Superman say whatever they want, he is after all a fictional character. The big problem here is that a decent editor should have put the brakes on this story because its dumb, and not worth publication.

TonyJazz

I’ve certainly read much worse Superman stories, but (unlike AJ) I am thrilled to finally see SOME controversy over Superman—deserved or otherwise. He’s a boring character for the most part, and a little growth in his perspective should be fine.

On the other hand, some of the decisions that Supermans has made recently in his regular series are just not logically coherent, and have been disparaged for very good reasons.

Sijo

This is DC trying to salvage the whole Superman-walks-through-America fiasco by turning it on its ear. They know the general public will not get that it’s just a publicity stunt, the same way many actually believed Superman was being killed off in the 90’s (no such thing as bad publicity, they seem to think.) We all know Supes will get his citizenship back because he’s the All-American Superhero (next to Captain America) sooner rather than later. Though I’d like to know how he got that Citizenship in the first place (given he’s long publicly admitted to being an alien.)

'Nark

No one’s going to point out how amazingly condescending the Fox piece is to comic readers? Asking if we’ve ever heard of the word “construed”? Really. There’s a way to make your point, and attacking people you obviously know little or nothing about isn’t the best way to do it.

I was not rabidly anti-Fox News, but after reading that column, I might change my mind about that.

Skott

Here’s the thing: No one gives a damn what these idiotic talking heads think. Cal Thomas thinks we can’t understand ‘big words’ and those other people talk about how it’s poorly written..
Are they comic book reviewers? No. They aren’t. Their opinion on what happens in OUR world means NOTHING. They barely understand the world of politics we don’t need them forcing their stupidity on us.

ian33407

…well this is SOMETHING I though would NEVER happen. And I’m glad.
It kinda reconnect the character with the deep humanist vibe that always was strongly part of his nature, especially since Grant Morrison’ ALL STAR..

I always though comics reached the boundaries of fiction with works like WATCHMEN or Frank Miller’ run onto DD, and that they stayed far from reality, all frightened to have been caught up by something they can’t assume.
Maybe it is time for DC to give us their point of view about utopias ( something else than a rise and a fall I hope) but that’s okay, if utopias must land somewhere I guess it is into comics pages, I was waiting such an approach more from a title like GREEN LANTERN CORPS, like a “window onto another worlds” as someone like Alan Moore used to practise story-telling, but I’m glad if SUPERMAN could really becomes an engaged and realistic vector of awareness..

Flip Maker

If ONLY this all translated in to sales for comics. It might mean a few more sold, but the disproportionate amount of discussion does not in any way actually reflect interest in buying the comics, which is disappointing. Dear commentators – if this all means so much to you, if Superman’s comments offend you so greatly, why not actually read a comic versus going off something you read off someone’s twitter and have an informed opinion.

Oh, I forgot, commentators don’t actually have informed opinions.

Also, the moment this happened DC should have offered the issue for sale digitally.

Tom Strong

The only people who are crying about this are the racist, birther, teabagger types who think an American bald eagle nests on their shoulder and Jesus sleeps at the foot of their bed. Who cares what those fascist nationalists think? THEY should renounce their citizenship.

I like how people who have probably never read a comic in their lives suddenly have an opinion on who Superman is supposed to be. They probably also only read the phrase “renouncing American citizenship” without any context.

I think anyone who’s been reading Batman recently will see an incredible parallel. It’s the exact same thing Bruce Wayne is doing: becoming more global. The problems of the United States are the problems of the world. There’s no reason to focus on a small fraction of the earth anymore.

Ackrite

This was too big of a leading statement to just be tossed off in a backup story and then never referred to again.

Superman saying he’s going to drop his citizenship and the “American Way” tagline? That’s a BIG DEAL. No way should it just be flippantly tossed out there.

For the most part, I don’t really see this as a left/right issue. Conservatives are more nationalistic, but Superman’s apparently rebelling against the Obama administration (or at least their considerations) here.

I have seen a lot of prejudice and short-sightedness on the part of the comics internet community on this, however. Really, all you guys can do is single FoxNews out? That’s all you can do, huh? Pretty much every news agency was covering this story, and wherever it was discussed from “commentators” it was misconstrued and misrepresented. But you have to single Fox out. Why? I don’t even agree with Cal Thomas or whatever his name is, but don’t you expect ideologues from both sides to have ideological opinions on EVERY issue? What the heck does it “prove” to show that, yup, conservatives have a conservative opinion on an issue. How does that inherently win you points or whatever?

The underlying theme I’ve seen on a lot of comics sites is that most of our generation is just fine with losing every icon we have. Few of you guys will stand up for anything. Oh, excuse me, I guess we have the fortitude to say that Hitler and Nazis are bad. Wow. Go, team comics! We’re courageous enough in our comic books to have our heroes fighting a dead group from our grandfather’s day and age. Do our comics feature Chinese tyrants? No. Do they feature government corruption in any substantive detail? No. Do they feature stories about collusion between corporations and “global” governments? No, not at all. All we can do is point fingers at Nazis, like that takes any kind of insight or guts.

People should realize what a “straw man” argument is, and how worthless “straw man” arguments are. When there’s hot-button issue, and you’re too cowardly or intellectually weak to take it on, then what you can do is just unfairly put a straw man out there, insinuate that anyone who disagrees with you is like this straw man. That’s what all of you guys are doing with this Superman story. “If you don’t like this…then you must agree with *shudder* FoxNews!”

People need to break out of the right/left paradigm in this country. We have real problems to face. We need to supervise both sides of our politicians. But, unfortunately, when it comes to politics and our generation, all we seem capable of doing is bickering about fictitious issues in unfair, arrogant ways.

KET

The statement by DC’s co-publishers is even more offensive than the ham-fisted Superman story Goyer wiped his rear with before he turned it in. Weasels and chickens who probably will now be too scared to follow up on the controversy they themselves created. They owe Superman an apology for making him say that non-committed tripe.

Kevin

I would like to point out that in Superman Secret Origin Supes does indeed admit to Gen. Sam Lane that he was in fact raised in the USA making him a American by upbringing. Honestly I thought it was a stupid idea to reveal that especially when people are so mistrusting of him during the story but I like that DC had the guts to publish another story where he cements his personal views concerning the matter. Still to see other people proclaim that “Superman is American, period” is silly at best and moronic at worst. Yeah, I’ll buy that an alien who crash-landed on Earth, who is nigh-omnipotent and his presenting himself to the world as a refugee from another planet is going to admit publicly that he was raised in America,right? Even more so the fact that after he graduated from high school he spend all those years traveling the world before he decides to reveal himself and people expect that he was not influenced and empathize with other cultures, right? Hell, that’s like me saying I’m a Christian and saying Jews should rot in hell, right [rolls eyes]

Skyrider

Miqque

Methinks both Superman and Batman would be much better off if they were out of the clutches of DC Comics. Despite my admiration for Jim Lee, there have been hideous creative and marketing blunders; from killing Batman in Infinite Crisis to letting JMS anywhere near the character. It is also clear that Clark Kent is an American citizen, while Superman, at best, can only be an “honorary” citizen of any country. Where is his birth certificate? (That might have been an amusing storyline.) What is his address? Does he pay taxes? Has he sworn allegience to any country? (The “American Way” is a vague ideal, not an oath such “to defend from all enemies foreign and domestic”.) The big sprawling stories have driven down issue sales to 15K or so. Doomsday is no longer scary, just another villain. The whole Bat-scene has gone chaotic and non-sequential (although Damian is the best Robin ever). The widening gyre between comic books, TV, audio, animation and film just keeps getting wider.

This is a failure of cohesive leadership. I’d like to see Geoff Johns take over the whole ball of whatever-it-is, except that would mean less writing, and he’s the steadiest hand at DC right now.

And in response to “becoming more global” – that is going to happen. The USA was embarrassingly jingoistic in the mid-1980’s, then snobby, then all militaristic. The USA does indeed need to redefine our national identity, but dissapating all traces of character is not the way to go. Oh, and PLEASE let us not fall into the conservative/liberal labels to try to sway thinking. This is a distraction. There’s an old saying:
“If you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything.” This is my fear with the US currently, and is reflected in the handling of Superman and Batman. We need our heroes to emulate, not to wonder what the hell they were thinking.

The best part of this is that hopefully it will draw big audiences to the last few episodes of “Smallville” – which has been terrific ever since the “Absolute Justice” 2-hour, and this, too, is due to Geoff Johns.

Geoff Johns for President! Of DC, at least! (And here’s hoping he will show up on some talk shows with this controversy.)

BeastieRunner

I think this was an interesting little story, with some good, relevant ideas in it, that has been totally overshadowed into oblivion by a single panel, which most commentators are taking in isolation and out of context.

All the people talking about how those nasty liberals are making Superman hate America and it’s a conspiracy against the right and blah blah blah are overlooking how, in the story, Superman makes this decision to protect America, so the country doesn’t have to face repercussions for his actions. It’s not about Superman turning against his country, or not believing in the American Way, or serving some nefarious left-wing political agenda.

As was the case with Marvel editorial and their response to the criticism against the Captain America tea party issue, I feel the only thing DC editorial has done wrong is backtrack and give credence to the silly accusations being thrown at them, rather than following through and defending their story.

I wish people were talking about the culmination of Paul Cornell’s excellent, definitive Lex Luthor epic, “The Black Ring”. I wish people were talking about Action Comics reaching its landmark 900th issue, lasting over 70 years. Instead, they’re all worked up about a non-story.

B Plenge

Well it’s an interesting idea, but whether or not Superman professes to be American is irrelevant. The world views him as American.

After 9-11 a newspaper ran a sampling of political cartoons from around the globe. There were 39 cartoons. I remember noting that other then a caricature of the president, which was used in 1/3 of the cartoons, the most common icon used to resemble America was Superman, his costume or his “S” logo. They appeared in 7 of the cartoons, beating out lady liberty with 5 appearances. Incidentally only one cartoon referenced Capt America, it had his costume along with Superman’s in several other hero suits in a wardrobe and bush was pondering which suit he needed to wear to deal with the issue. Does this mean that the world of 10 years ago associates Superman with America 7 times more then Captain America? Taking into consideration the last Superman movie for the sake of Marvel’s movie coming out this summer I hope not.

I think it’s funny that when the tagline “Truth, justice and the American way” is used in other media relating to Superman (films and what not) they always drop the “American way” part, almost like there ashamed of it.

Which is ironic as the phrase was coined in the Radio show (with the American way added for the TV show) and adopted by the comics.

Charles J. Baserap

For one, he has honorary citizenship to EVERY country already. It was given to him by the UN. If he’s going to denounce ONE, he should denounce ALL.

Two, I don’t view it as anti-American as some have, but the whole renunciation of his American citizenship that comes at a time when the concurrent storyline is him very publicly walking across America to get back in touch with who he is on his human heritage side is off.

Third, this has NEVER been an issue for him, and he’s been the leader of the Justice League of AMERICA that has been involved in numerous overseas missions. I understand Clark is less likely to cause an incident, but by being Clark and living IN America and based IN an American city, he leaves the Superman part to respond firstly to American and Metropolis based threats just by natural cause. During Decisions, he said it was important to not get involved in politics because he didn’t want people thinking he endorsed a side or another, and then he stands in Iran in a very public display, not because he’s chasing a supervillain, but because of his personal feelings, but then what OTHER countries where something is happening? Then he becomes the, “Please, Superman, save my village,” character he has been reluctant and even afraid to be, a god like status where he is expected to be involved in every crisis. We saw that sentiment from him in the first arc of Morrison’s JLA.

If he wants to be global, that’s fine. Then he should be in the watchtower and give up the Clark identity. What I mean is that by living as Clark IN America, and everyone knowing that, Hey, Superman seems to be around this Metropolis place and Lois Lane an awful lot, he raises the questions about Smallville and Metropolis being his adopted cities. Does he renounce those honors as well? The whole thing just didn’t seem thought out and opened up a complicated trick bag.

I would agree with it in principle if not for the way it contradicts what we’ve seen of HIM and how he wants to be seen by the world. I said it a couple of times, if he’s going to wade into politics (and remember he didn’t HELP ANYONE in the issue, he merely insinuated himself in a protest in which it was clear which side he was on), then the world, whether they think he is American or not, is still going to see HIM as being pro or anti whatever and react accordingly. Will he do this for Syria? Or Egypt? Or Libya, or the Ivory Coast or Nigeria? What if the people in charge of said countries see his interference as interference of any kind?

Those are the questions this raises. If he just went in and saved the day for someone falling from a building or under attack from a supervillain, that’s one thing. But he didn’t.

He personally involved himself in the politics of a sovereign nation in a way that drew attention and now raises questions about what he will do about OTHER similar situations. Will he go to the West Bank (again–remember he did this in a thinly veiled allegory in For Tomorrow and simply took away all of the weapons they had) and if so, which side will he take when the matter is not as cut and dry?

I don’t think this makes him anti-American in any way and I can understand part of the logic, but after spending a year moping through America to reacquaint himself with his roots, and seeing all of the things that can arise out of this, this just doesn’t seem well thought out at all.

Like I said, the problem is that he wasn’t just being a hero. He was placing himself on one side or another of a political debate in a sovereign nation that regardless of his association with America, is going to put spotlight on him and raise questions about what he’ll do about other situations.

This was something he was against in DCU Decisions, and in Morrison’s first arc of JLA where he cautioned the white martians in disguise of getting TOO involved in the everyday affairs of people, that they should be super heroes for super problems, that people shouldn’t look to them as gods and expect them to help with every facet of their lives. Even in the aftermath of Worlds at War, he wouldn’t help the workers repair Metropolis because he didn’t want to take that away from them. (see the Adventures of Superman issue, “Shipbuilding” I believe it was titled)

THAT’S what I am finding problematic. Not that he was saving kittens from an olive tree in Israel or helping with a tsunami in Indonesia, but that he was getting involved in foreign politics when he has ALWAYS expressed the importance of doing exactly the opposite.

Again, this was never an issue because it was never practical to make it one for many of the reasons stated. It becomes too complex a trick bag.

He is a global hero, yes. But he can be one with renouncing citizenship to only ONE country when he holds it in EVERY country already. The writer used the character as a vehicle for HIS opinions and went the extra step of doing something DC has avoided doing for years–he used an actual country and world leader, as opposed to a fictional stand-in.

If Superman is a symbol of America, then no renunciation of his citizenship is going to stop that association from happening.

It was just weak writing and contradictory of everything Superman has been saying for years, not in that he shouldn’t help more than just America or be a government stooge, but that super heroes DO NOT get involved in everyday politics that can steer the course of humanity and influence votes and things like that.

“…Superman makes this decision to protect America, so the country doesn’t have to face repercussions for his actions…”

Which would be cool if what he did actually achieved that goal, I totally agree. Superman sacrificing for the sake oh his home could be poingant and meaningful. However, just saying he will renounce his American citizenship does not in any way cause that to happen. Additionally, the threat he is protecting America from doesn’t actually exist either in the real world, or in the world of DC comics, they just made it up for this one story.

I have not read the issue where terrorists attack the US simply because Superman is an American citizen.

This is really a lot like arguing that Batman should kill the Joker.
It is arbitrarily allowing for one aspect of realism, while still ignoring all others.

if Batman cut the Joker in to tiny little pieces and fed him to sharks, then the clown prince of crime would be back killing innocent Gothamites just as soon as a writer decided to bring him back. The Joker doesn’t come back because Batman fails to kill him, he comes back because lazy writers want to reuse him.

Bad guys, terrorists, and rogue nations don’t attack the US because Superman is American. They attack the US because that is where the readers live and where the stories are frequently set. Changing Superman’s citizenship won’t stop that.

None of this was necessary to make Superman a citizen of the world. He already was. He already protected the whole world and traveled everywhere and spoke every language.

He didn’t need to stop being American to serve the world or protect his home country. He just needed to stop being American to get a bunch of flaming headlines.

blackphoenix

Charles J. Baserap

The problem is that it never has been a problem for him. Goyer says he’s tired of having his actions construed. But when has that happened? How can he be tired of it when it hasn’t really been an issue?

He has been against getting involved in politics because people will see HIM as a pro or anti whatever and that is too much more power than he wants, because then he can change the course of other nations unintentionally. He’s said that multiple times. And like I said, as long as he is with the Justice League of AMERICA and operating out of America and having his closest associations be with and in Americans and America, no renunciation is going to make people think all of the sudden he’s not representing America.

People are going to think what they want to think, regardless of his proclamation. Look at the Birthers who STILL believe that McCain AND Obama’s birth certificates are fakes even after both released them. Look at how many in the Middle east STILL believe bin Laden had nothing to do with 9/11 or that Jews were behind the attacks and whatever.

He can be a global hero–he ALWAYS has been. But he’s never done something like this, getting involved in on the ground politics because of the door it opens. Remember when he went into another country in For Tomorrow? The JLA came to get him, not because of America, but because it was sending the wrong message about what superheroes do.

What’s to stop him from swaying elections now in Iran? Or assisting rebels overthrow a regime in Syria, or Libya, or wherever else? What’s to stop him from participating in rallies for one cause or another here?

This is a character who refused to even say who he was voting for and admonished other heroes for doing so because of the way they are looked at symbols to follow. And when one picks sides, another picks the other side to balance it out as we saw in DCU Decisions.

When he picks side in a political arena, it shifts a disproportionate amount of weight to his side and that’s why he’s refrained from doing it.

If he wants to help fight crime or stop a supervillain, that’s one thing.

But he DIDN’T do that. He insinuated himself into the on the ground personal politics of a sovereign nation, something he NEVER even did for THIS country, even withholding his views of President Luthor as much as possible to not sway the populace.

You can’t remain neutral and then take a definitive side in so public a manner in your uniform.

It’s like when I was in the Secret Service (you can google my name and find my published book on terrorism, An American at the Crossroads or find it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble for proof of this statement). I was allowed to participate in a rally if I wanted. But NOT in Uniform. I was able to vote for whoever I wanted, but not allowed to make public statements about it.

You know something I haven’t seen really broached yet is this:

People are saying this makes Superman more appealing (which, really, is as of yet unquantifiable and just theory right now), but have they considered the flip side?

Superman is not real, but DC and Time Warner ARE.

So, yes, we have stories coming out where Superman insinuates himself into a very real world example in Iranian politics. This leads him to distance himself from his US citizenship so that people don’t think he’s there as an agent of the US. OK, fine.

But REAL people are the ones that need to buy this, not fictional characters.

What I mean is that we’ve seen here that people are threatening to boycott the company because the logic goes that if Writer X writes this story with Character Y espousing belief Z, then the COMPANY must also espouse belief Z.

Just the same if DC publishes books where one of the biggest characters in history is openly slamming a real world politician and his policies, the writer becomes a stand-in, fairly or not, for DC and Time Warner and can lead people to believe those are policies OF said entities.

That’s why when people, including myself, who have written books put disclaimers in books to say that the content doesn’t reflect agency whatever.

In my own book, I wrote: The opinions contained within are not affiliated with, do not represent, and are not endorsed by The United States Secret Service or any of its members, both past and present and are the sole possession of the author.

Now, REASONABLE people would see that not everything a writer writes is believed by his superiors, but that doesn’t change that the editors and bosses had to approve such messages and found it not problematic.

So what happens when Superman is getting involved in the West Bank? What about those readers, who pay REAL money for the books, who are on one side of the debate or the other? Or if he marches in an anti-war parade, or pro-life, or whatever?

When REAL readers feel like the hero, in the guise of representing everyone, now only represents those select few who the writer’s personal opinions and beliefs and feelings dictate, is that really the way to go?

It’s tough declare yourself neutral and then show up in UNIFORM to a protest and pick a side in a political disagreement. When I was in the Secret Service I was allowed to attend rallies, but never in uniform. This was part of the Decisions plot in 08 where one character came out in favor of a candidate and it unfairly weighted attention and votes towards him to the point where another hero came out in favor of another candidate to balance it out. Superman refused to do so and admonished them for it because he did not feel super heroes should take sides in political matters. That’s what a lot of people are missing in the news story. They are saying well he’s global so who cares if he’s doing a superhero thing in another country. But he WASN’T doing a superhero thing. He was involved in civil disobedience in a sovereign nation’s politics.

And those are the places he’s long tried to avoid because it fractures the people he’s protecting who feel, again fairly or not, that they take 2nd place because of a different belief system (which is it seems why they tried this in part in the first place) and, moreover, it fractures the readers who don’t pay money to read a comic book where their beliefs may come under attack.

Charles J. Baserap

Kudos, Mr. Goyer? Would he have had the same temerity to do the same and call out members of the IDF for human rights abuses? Or will he continue to selective target those real world regimes HE has a problem with, considering he has spoken out about Iran in the past?

Kenneth Kreisel

I think this story came about because Goyer thought about the phrase “Truth, justice and the American way” obviously. But, that phrase really doesn’t make sense because it implies that America has a singular set of rules, thoughts, and ideals like that of one person and not a collective set of different views, rules and thoughts. I do enjoy how they made Superman blatantly relevant by involving him in a spoof of the protests in the east. Granted it’s not the first time Superman has intervened in troubles around the world, after all it’s really only Clark Kent that lives in Metropolis.
The story isn’t really saying Superman doesn’t want to be considered American, it’s about Superman realizing he can’t be considered American because his responsibilities are far more greater.
On another note, I wonder just how much “good” an illegal alien must do in order to “earn” citizenship into the U.S, “Sir, before the U.S can grant you citizenship I need to record how many lives you saved”.

Depending on the interpretation of the story this was either practically the case, when he drew his first breath on Earth in Smallville, or explicitly the case, when he was born from the artifical womb that was his space ship.

Either way, he was by any legal requirement born in the United States and a full, legal citizen as a result.

MattComix

As someone who has loved the character of Superman for near their entire life my feeling has always been that Superman, like with Captain America do not endorse the actions of a particular administration or America at the expense of any other culture or way of life. Their relation to America is more about the universal ideals and dream of what America is and can be. So in that respect and given that Superman was raised by the Kents I was never put off by the “and the american way” thing even though I truly do think of Superman as not being an exclusively american hero or icon.

If there is anything about this citizenship story that I find exhausting, tedious, or anger inducing it’s not that I feel it is anti-american.

It’s more that it is a labored stunt exemplary of the kind of over thought, cynical, and pretentious BS that has made superhero stories so miserably joyless and not entertaining in the very medium where so many of these wonderful characters were born for so many years now.

rio de janeiro

I bet that if Superman existed and went to Iran trying to meddle in Iranian business, he would really be attacked by the likes of sarah palin, o’reilly, and fox news….the left wingers would also complain…..the iranians would go absolutely bonkers, the people AND the government….other countries would also associate superman to the usa….tension would be so thick….and consequences would be awful.

so, i think it”s right (logic wise) that superman separate himself from the usa in terms of politics (not in terms of values…he’s american as apple pie,,,and his values are those of america), but politics-wise, that was the right thing to to.

not being an american also eliminates the angst caused by ~look at the evil things my government does~ … he has no more government to be under.

Mike

When one enters the ring of politics, one should be informed, as I trust the writer is. However, conversely, the politicians and other bureaucrats entering the ‘Superman arena’ need to go to a LCS, grab some must read Superman stories, and rethink their debate, because the confines of the story no doubt have taken into consideration the culmination of past Superman stories and histories. No doubt, we are all great master-debaters (some, just masterbaters), but we must understand the universality of Superman and his (also the writers) reactions to a manipulative and continually contradicting government scheme.

Ken B.

Being a Superman fan since I was a kid, Superman has always been an American but it’s never really been a big thing. “The American Way” are the general ideas that are so unequivocally good and inspiring to people that the only people looking to criticize it are doing so for cheap political reasons. If Captain America can get a pass, why can’t Superman?

And that’s what kind of annoys me the most about this, people using it as a political scorecard to show those liberals or those FoxNews wingnuts why they’re wrong and the other side is right..

Critics of Superman always point to the Man of Steel as being boring, or a boy scout, or too powerful. Those are the general criticisms about Superman. NEVER have I seen someone say “I don’t like Superman because he’s an American.” It’s so ridiculously distant from the character that the whole story is trying to answer a question that was never raised in the first place or even in the thought of someone’s mind.

One thing I hate more than anything is trying to “fix” things that aren’t a problem. Comics are doing this way too much in recent years (hello Spider-Marriage).

Kel-El

Superman’s not abandoning America. It’s foolish to say that he is. He doesn’t just fight for America anymore. He’s trying to bring peace to the entire planet. It seems to me that he doesn’t want to just represent one country. I think basically he doesn’t want to look like he’s taking sides. He’s fighting for all of Earth. I think it’s selfish to say that he’s abandoned America. There are other good people in other countries who need help.

Brian Cronin’s comment referred to in the article is also a good point. I think Superman has always thought big actually. Maybe he doesn’t think he’s thought big enough. But he’s for truth and justice for the whole world, not just America.

Kubark

Not to insult the majority of you, for whom I have no doubt this is redundant, but the difference in definition between the words “renounce” and “denounce” is especially important to keep in mind, when looking to interpret the ramifications of the story. Just a thought.

Internet Exsploding! No. But any notation outside our little world, is of interest. The media is far more interested in fabricating an interest in the most unAmerican of things…a British royal wedding.

As to DC’s position; gutless. The primary issue with DC and Marvel has always been the balance of artistic freedom and maintaining continuity. Here you have artistic freedom being brushed under the rug, ignoring significant storytelling opportunity (for a character who needs controversy for relevance sake). Out of fear of controversy and/or unmanigible continuity issues.

Superman is a citizen of the world and America, as much as he is an illegal alien. This paradox holds in it compeling controversy and topical opportunity. This may have been poorly exsicuted and managed on all fronts. However, taking a stand for the values he sees as American is what his role is. Particularly when he feels America has failed to follow these values. What is disheartening is, I believe we as a people have not crossed this line yet. We remain ideologically devided, we have within our midst significant corruption in all corners, we have are an eroding beaken of light to the world. But, nothing is decided, not all is lost and since 1939 it has never been a perfect union. No nation is more rituous them we. Not all our citizens are blind to our transgressions. Not all of those who actually try to live the values Superman symbolizes fall neatly into a perticular ideological position.

So while I support controversy and conviction, I feel it has been undermine here (not that the world is actually paying attention). Undermined by DC’s defensive posture and by the controversy itself. To denounce citizenship as a practicality is a bit bizzar and as a means to make his point, it’s simply not very heroic. But to make clear to the world he does not support a governmental policy which undermines all Americans right to be represented with the values they aspire to hold and are symbolized by the man of steel…well that is presisly what he should do in every issue….until our government follows what we expect in our representatives. Truth and Justice; which should be the American way…and is not always…but is sometimes…perhaps more then we care to admit when our ideological rivals are in play. Either way, Superman has become a symbol for us all, and he should not give up on us. Giving up should not be in play.

Londeaux

In my opinion is that Superman as a symbol finally got fed up with politics and politicians. Besides Superman was never a US citizen to begin with and he wasn’t sent to Earth to save the United States. He was sent to save humanity.

Clark Kent only exists on paper and is symbol of American ideology that the forefathers envisioned.

But all in all he is just Kal-El an orphan who must find his place on a world that both idolizes him and/or fears him.

JD

It’s hilarious that so much can be made over a fictional character and the automatic rightwing response is ‘political correctness’ as opposed to what it really is, a new spin to make the character more appealing. In other words a combination of an idea and marketing.

Plus, it’s interesting that he is one illegal alien who is welcome! Seriously though, as others have noted, his human alter-ego is still an American so really who cares? Once again, as with the recent joke that is Donald Trump we get to see what conservatives really care about, a sideshow of distractions.

Brilliant, gets fans and non-readers alike talking with Action # 900, and as we stick around we’ll see that Supes is indeed rooted in American Midwestern values, and yet, truly is larger than any country or political party as he truly serves The Little Guy (which is most of us).

Joe

Controversy for the sake of controversy. I am not an American, but I recognize that what one American does is NOT and should NOT be representative of what his country stands for. Just as all those years George W. Bush was screwing the world, I didn’t think it was the fault of all Americans. (just the morons who voted for him.)

And for crying out loud, after all these years of the League, SUPERMAN included, showing that they are responsible enough NOT to get involved in international incidents, he just abandons it NOW? Nothing against what’s happening in Tehran but that’s not the most extreme situation in Superman’s history. Why didn’t he renounce it during the Vietnam war?

And so what if he disagrees? Superman? He’s A PRIVATE CITIZEN. Who cares if he agrees or disagrees with US Policy. It’s his right.

It shouldn’t have been an issue unless it was someone like CAPTAIN ATOM who is an enlisted US soldier.

Heck, Green Lantern has more right to say that than Superman. Green Lanterns are deputized LAWMEN whose jurisdiction covers the world. Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner SHOULD renounce allegiance to all nations. It shouldn’t even be there choice.

IN any event, Superman has HANDLED such international incidents and controversies repeatedly in the past without it having to result in anyone losing their citizenship. This was way off character.

Goyer is one of my favorite writers but this was just plain lazy and hackneyed. Controversy for the sake of controversy.

Jeff

Absolutely. Superman should follow this trough without a single doubt.

It’s something that’s been in the coming for a long time really, because what the American way is, has changed many times since the 1940’s, and I’d say these days it has very little to do with what the writers intended it to mean back then.

Excellent story by DC Comics, and I truly hope they actually show Superman doing it, on-panel.

A curious fan

I’ve got a feeling a LOT of people commenting here (and everywhere) have not read the story.

One of the first things Supes said in the story is “well, I guess I take issue with how things have been characterised in the media.” These words can’t be more true. Superman is the worlds greatest superhero, he stands for more than just ‘the American way’. But the reason why he denounces his citizenship (his, and not Clarks (and this in a world where Clark and Superman are not known as being the same person) is not for his own benefit. I quote (as said by ): Your actions have created an International Incident. The Iranian government is accusing you of ACTING ON THE PRESIDENT’S BEHALF. They’re calling your interference an ACT OF WAR.

He denounces his American citizenship because he’s (in his words) “tired of having (his) actions construed as instruments of U.S. policy. He denounces his citizenship to protect the US (and it’s people) so wherever he sees fit to intervene, wherever on the globe, his actions can never been seen as something sanctioned by the US government and protecting the US so it’ll never have to deal with the repercussions of Superman’s actions around the world.

It’s about putting gravitas with the statement. Just saying you are not part of the US Government, or defending American interests across the world is ok, but it has more weight when you show you really mean it by denouncing (thanks for the correction!) your citizenship.

It’s like saying “I’m going green, and won’t use my car ever again, just going to cycle everywhere”, but at the same time you won’t sell your car.

monkey

About fricking time. Superman is way too complex a character for them to keep him as just representing some big blue boyscout who pushing US sentiment. What is that nowadays? Is that not something every man and woman world wide wants and he’s protecting US and America by not aligning with any one country.

Talk about knee jerk reactions. Batman sticks his finger up at the establishment all the time and good for him when the establishment are idiots! But Superman? Nooo, he must just tow the line cause it’s the Amercian way. It’s a comic and he isn’t real and he lives in the damn arctic. Who says he lives in Metropolis? This just goes to show how outdated Superman is in terms of his relevance to the real world and that Clark is all I am and Superman is shaky ground for a man who is essentially lying about who he is to the world.

Mark J. Hayman

My Hypocrisy Sense is tingling! What with comics sales continuing to slip and the recent-ish Borders debacle that can only cut into the TPB bottom line that’s been picking up so much of the bottom line if not outright anchoring it, a story that has people far and wide discussing Superman (with another film on the near horizon on a sea of genre films) seems more like marketing than any kind of principiled “statement” (not that the author didn’t mean it, but editorial must have known the effect it would have on the chattering classes).

Of course, this is comics. Superhero comics. Where impermanence is the very hallmark of so-called reality. Eventually the story will be revealed as some sort of Elseworlds adventure or a dream or inexplicably retconned.

Why take this issue so SERIOUSLY? It’s just a marketing ploy to attract more consumers! Aside from the economic standpoint, acting as the Devil’s Advocate, who’s Barack Obama’s preferred superhero? Spider-Man, not Superman. Who owns DC Comics? The Warner Bros, a known supporter of the Republicans! Expect more red herring issues that divert our immediate personal and REAL problems! At least Batman is really the MOST RELEVANT superhero nowadays! My suggestion to DC to make Superman more enjoyable and worth reading–BRING BACK GRANT MORRISON TO THE WRITING DESK, similar to that phenomenon that was ALL-STAR SUPERMAN!

@ Beware of the Geek… I already thanks ‘Monkey’ for correcting my spelling mistake.
It was unfortunate, but as English is not my first language spelling mistakes happen.
It doesn’t however make my points less valid.

Personally I don’t see why this is such a big deal? Superman has always been about humanitarianism, not about nationalism. He is for everybody, and the positive ideals he stands for will be more influential worldwide the more he underlines his essense.

In addition, shouldn’t that be changed to “the American dream”, as this signifies the ideal, whereas “way” implies harsh reality, i.e. endorsement of every single police that the US government has ever been involved with, good and bad alike. It is an unfortunate wording that does not state what Superman actually stands for: A far more sympathetic alternative to Nietzsche’s social engineer warmonger super-sociopath.

In my webcomic, ‘Future Kings’, the powerful superhero at the center of the story travels the world, not just America. However he doesn’t feel the need to renounce anything, he simply uses his powers to help the least fortunate people on Earth, which happens to mean he rarely does things in America after the beginning.

I don’t see the purpose of renouncing citizenship as it’s framed in this story, other than to attract attention and curry favor with liberals.

Lorrie

I wish people understood the difference between “renounce” and “denounce”. And I wish this artice was titled “Superman Renounces his American Citizenship”. Because the title seems to imply that he is going against America itself, especially to the vocabularily challenged, even if the article itself doesn’t.

Of course, the loudest detractors of the story just are using it to bash you-know-who and everyone else they think are “destroying” America. Have you read the comments on Comics Alliance? Racist, anti-semitic, just-plain-scary stuff.

Madmike

Ken Arromdee

“He denounces his American citizenship because he’s (in his words) “tired of having (his) actions construed as instruments of U.S. policy. …What’s wrong with that?”

That explains the renunciation of citizenship itself. It doesn’t explain the comment about the American Way not being enough any more. Interpreting the phrase as referring to American policy is very strained in the first place, and if it refers to policy, wouldn’t saying it’s not enough means he’s now going to be associated with lots of nations’ policy?

It’s also stupid in several ways. Since Clark Kent isn’t renouncing citizenship, we now have a non-citizen pretending to be a citizen to get the benefits of citizenship–he should lose his job, at the very least, if not actually be deported. And it’s ludicrous to think that Iran would stop complaining about Superman being an arm of US policy just because he’s no longer a citizen–countries like Iran routinely claim that non-Americans are paid off by America, and in any case, he’ll continue to hang around Metropolis a lot, making him still look American to the Iranians.

Finally, Superman’s not an illegal alien. Law and the Multiverse did an article on this. The Byrne origin had him sent to Earth in an artificial womb which opened in Kansas, so he was born in Kansas and is a citizen. If the Byrne origin is no longer valid, he’s probably eligible under the foundling rule, which says that if he is found in the US with unknown parentage while under the age of five, and is not shown to be born outside the US before the age of 21, he is a citizen.

Miqque

Congratulations to all contributors for a most excellent letter column. As usual, the faceless comics community responds to any media attention by putting on names and faces and rise with intelligent discussion. This is not modern middle America, which responds to most stimuli with sound bytes.

In the 1950’s, there definitely was an “American Way”. It spoke to post-WW2 with the concepts of personal responsibility, racial equality (how we learned from the Nazis, the Japanese, our own hideous actions toward Japanese-Americans, our own realizations thru battle after battle it did not matter if one were black or white or other ), that one could succeed in life through hard work, that we grow stronger through our differences. Then it got homogenized to expectations of standardized behavior, which spurred the revolutions of the 1960’s and seventies. It was a way of dealing with life that died in the greed of the nineties and the intrinsic failure of capitalism – the stratification to very poor and very rich/ (That isn’t new with me; Adam Smith warned us of it in ‘The Wealth of Nations’.)

The internet did not, of course, explode. That is hyperbole. However, the story was mentioned on major news outlets and web sites – very unusual for comics stories. These folks do not read comics. They barely read at all. But so strong is the national (may I say world-wide?) connection to Superman that a small story has repercussions. The unwasherd masses (that’s us) would be believed by the media to be nerds in the basement engaging in virginal cosplay. The media has not gotten to understand that not only is it the more intelligent (and affluent, at four-to-nine-bucks-the-issue, multiple issues, every month) that read and respond. That comics are Big Business, and snigger at your fiscal peril. Nor is there any real sense of history, as our media has declined to the point where they act like puppies – everything is new, all the time.

Why can’t Superman just say “I’m an American citizen, but my actions represent my private views and not US foreign policy”? That’s what roughly 300 million Americans already do every single day anyway. No renunciation of citizenship required.

Thomas’s “illegal immigrant” comment actually has some insight to it: if Superman were to say “I’m an illegal immigrant and my papers are forged” and reveal that he’s not an American citizen on THOSE grounds, it would make for a logical narrative, and a strong political statement that actually has some balls behind it rather than merely seeming like something thrown out there to provoke a reaction. (Really this read like Goyer saying “Well, I tweaked the Huffington Post in The Dark Knight; how can I tweak Fox News in a Superman story?”)

I wouldn’t say Superman’s renouncing America. That seems to imply that he’s turning his back on the country, and/or that he doesn’t love the country he was raised in anymore. And I don’t think that’s the case. He still does love America, but he’s trying to make it clear that he’s for the entire planet.

Tom

Maybe I’m wrong here, but the DCU isn’t set in our universe bound to our reality. is it? It shouldn’t be. When our reality enters the DCU it should be subject to the rules of a world where Superman lives. Not Vise-versa. The problem with this story is that by putting real world restrictions and realities on Superman by interjecting him in such a serious event is that it makes the character impotent. That’s not what a Superman would do. If he can’t act like a Superman in a real world situation, he probably shouldn’t be put in one.

Tom

^^^I’m talking about his choice to protest rather than take action in Iran, not his renouncing of american citizenship. Lex Luthor is president in the DCU after all. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. But the american public does not know this, which is part of the problem with the story, I’m a comics reader and sometimes forget luthor is president.

richard

it’s a fucking comic book about an invincible alien from another world. This is yet another example of american comics and americans displaying their utter ignorance of the rest of the world unless it effects them in any way, shape or form. What does it matter if Superman denounces his American Citizenship? GOOD, if you ask me, maybe now we’ll see some stories that take place somewhere other than space or America, there’s an entire planet out there and yet it’s rarely reference, and even when it is it’s done so fleetingly or “comically” in books such as Knight and Squire.

Rob

JohninSC

This story has achieved it’s purpose- generating “buzz” for the character/DC Comics.

However, if this is true and not a stunt or wind up being NOT actually Supe’s thoughts but a mischievious plot by an outside entity, this can’t be good for the upcoming movie.

Superman has proven story after story to be a citizen of the world and NOT just the US or any other political way of thought (minus The Dark Knight Returns or other ‘elseworlds’ stories). He’s never cared before about whether or not his actions were construed as “American policy” or whatever, he was doing what he thought was the right thing to do. Why should it bother him now? I’m sure if he does go through with it, he’ll give a speach loving America and how he sees “the bigger picture” and all. Seriously, isn’t this like telling someone you love them and always will before punching them or divorcing them?

To me, this isn’t Clark Kent, the boy scout we all know and love (or loathe). If he’s not behind this, this has to even make Luthor slightly nervous. All I can say is, something’s amiss.

Bruce (Batman), get ready. This may be the start to that instance you were always afraid would happen,

redvector

That statement from DC comics sounds like they got blindsided by the reaction to this little story. They may have done this to generate “buzz” but it’s mostly negative even from some liberal quarters. I wouldn’t be surprised if Goyer went off the reservation with this. And it gets ignored and buried and who ever greenlit it gets fired.

Issue #900 should be a milestone for it’s main story not a forgettable nine page filler back up.

bustermike

Generalzod33

I can’t believe how upset people are getting over a fictional character. What’s next, the French gets upset because Tin Tin isn’t accurately portrayed in the movies? Is this what really passes for news these days? Poor dead and dying Libyans, to be pushed off people’s minds by comic book characters.

The “American Way” has not always stood for justice, freedom and fairness. We exterminated Indians we could steal their land, made slaves of Africans, used children and women in factories to line the bank accounts of the wealthy, denied half the population (women) the right to vote for more than 100 years and so many other atrocities you never hear about in our PR version history books. I think Superman can show us a much better way.

Acer

I agree with you Generalzod33. People need to focus on the more IMPORTANT discourse going on right now. I also believe that this move at DC is very progressive, but they’ll still need to address the canonocity of that 70’s story where he’s made honorary citizen of every country.

So, to all the hard-lined leftys and right-wingers, SHUT YOUR FREAKING PRE-SCHOOLER-LIKE MOUTHS FOR GOOD!!!!!! CAPICE??!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Acer

Leocomix

What’s interesting about extremist speech is that it reveals the speaker’s hidden thoughts. When islamists speak of “crusaders” you know they are the ones “on a crusade.” Similarly when Fox adepts speak of “hating America” you know they are the ones who hate America.
BTW Tintin is Belgian not French.

Real Talk

Superman would be more appreciative of his status as an American citizenship, if he knew that it takes about $1000-2000 bucks to apply to be a permanent resident, and that the USCIS is 1000-2000 times worse than the DMV, lol.

Seriously though: My wife is an immigrant, now a permanant resident. Her mother sent her and her siblings here from a third world country (they were lucky enough to obtain student visas). That’s a pretty bold thing to do, to just send your kids off to a foreign country, but the rest of the world is full of tyranny, oppression, corruption, and at the very least crushes their peoples ability to florish economically by embracing central planning and rejecting free market capitalism. There are people all over the world that have died crossing oceans and crossing deserts for the opportunity to live in the greatest country on Earth, the greatest country in all of history.

The common people all over the world understand this: Like the people in China who are arrested if they dare criticize their government. Do you know what Quadafi did to the Libyan authors, and painters, and poets, you know, people kind of like COMIC BOOK WRITERS and COMIC BOOK ARTISTS? In the 70’s, he staged a fake awards ceremony to gather all these authors and the artists and entertainers. And than at the event, he had them all arrested, thrown in jail, tortured, and most of them were locked up for at least a decade, for the crime of writing books and poems and creating art.

Obviously these liberal elite comic book writers living in in their comfortable ivory towers in Manhattan (or maybe Fortress of Solitudes lol) are way out of touch with us regular people.

DuckHawk

Clark was raised by the kents to do what is right. As far as I know, no single nation has ownership of ‘the right thing.’ If it came down to his actions being construed as acting on the part of america, or renouncing his citizenship so he can do what he himself believes is right. It’s obvious which he’d do.

He is a living breathing WMD, and any one nation ‘owning him or his actions’ would be a bad thing. He is an entity unto himself just doing the right thing as he was raised to do. It just so happens he was raised on a farm in america by parents who instilled virtues.

This has nothing to do with left or right views, and solely those of his own actions. It’s everyone else that wants to politicize this when it’s really just that simple.

Clark is still an american reporter. Superman and all his amazing powers though do not belong to any one nation, he helps and saves the world on a regular basis, and if the public is going to view his actions of doing what he feels is right, as america interfering in other affairs, what choice is left?

It’s either not help the world, or renounce his citizenship and help the world. The right thing is to use his abilities to help the world. So it’s not even a question with how he was raised in America by kind loving parents who taught him right from wrong.

Leo Quintum

That Fox News Article is hilarious. The evidently incredibly intellegent Cal Thomas has flexed his mighty intellect and implied that the typical comic book reader is obviously much too cretinous to have heard of such a “big” word as “construed”. It’s a pity that later on in his *cough* article he demonstrates that “lightning” may just be too big a word for him to have heard of, or at least have learned to spell correctly;

“As the Wikipedia website remembers, when Billy said “Shazam” (the name of the wizard who gave him his powers), he was immediately struck by *lightening* and imbued with the powers of six legendary figures.”

Or maybe I’m wrong. I’ll just go back to reading my childish comic books an leave the highbrow, groundbreaking and forward thinking literature to the readers of Cal Thomas and Fox News.

Amusingly, one meaning of the word lightening is actually the sensation caused by the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity before the onset of labour which make the article even funnier, if no less absurd.

RANDRAND

PSSST-“CONSTRUED” MEANS TO CONNECT SOME”DOT-TO-DOT” INTENDED MEANINGS TOGETHER TO FORM A COHESIVE DIRECTION OF OPINION-WITHOUT THE FULL BODY OF EVIDENCE BEING PRESENTED- A SENSED INTENTION.THAT BEING SAID—-SUPERMAN CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS-DO YOU UNDERSTAND—HE IS AN INKED CARTOON CHARACTER.?? NOBODY CHANGES IN A PHONE BOOTH-AND PEOPLE DON’T LIVE IN METROPOLIS! there are people’s opinions, though, that still reside in “SMALLVILLE”!